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Many elementary school grammar lessons focus on the easily remembered rules like tense changes in regular verbs and the difference between proper and common nouns. However, fifth-grade teachers have the opportunity to challenge their students with curriculum covering irregular verbs like “break,” “freeze” and “be.” Without familiar rules, irregular verbs are difficult for some students, especially those who struggle with memorization. However, competition can encourage even the most standoffish of students to engage in class discussion.

Regular or Irregular

This game is a fun way to introduce students to the concept of irregular verbs. While fifth graders are aware that verbs are action words, they may not realize that some tenses differ greatly from what they’ve experienced so far in elementary grammar lessons. Project a series of present tense sentences on the board, using both regular and irregular verbs. Without explaining how an irregular verb differs from a regular verb, ask your students to write the same sentence, but this time, in the past tense. Students who use the rules of regular verb tense changes will notice that new sentences using irregular verbs sound wrong. This is an effective way to illustrate your class’ familiarity with irregular verb tenses, even before they’ve learned the official rules.

The Synonym Game

This game requires a projector and a page from a chapter book projected onto the board. Each of your students should be able to identify a regular verb on the page. After each student has identified a regular verb, ask them to replace their original word with an irregular verb that has a similar meaning. Read the passage out loud a second time using their replacements, and give extra points to the students contributing the most interesting or apt word exchanges.

Tense Drills

When studying irregular verb tenses, split your class in two, forming lines on either side of the room, facing one another. The drill starts when you write an irregular verb’s root form on the board. The first students in the line race to shout out the irregular verb’s past tense, but they have to answer correctly or risk giving up the point to their opponent. After the first drill, write a new verb root on the board, and repeat the drill with the second pair of students, then third, and so on. This game can be repeated with other irregular verb tenses for a tougher challenge.

Brainstorm

After introducing your class to the concept of irregular verbs, this game can be an effective way to enforce the difference between regular and irregular verbs, outside of those you’ve already explained. Ask your students to take out a sheet of paper and a pencil. Using a timer, give your class a set window in which each child is required to list as many irregular verbs as they can think of. When time is up, choose a few students to read their lists aloud. Any word read by more than one student should be crossed out. The student with the longest list of unique irregular verbs wins.

About the Author

Suzy Kerr graduated from Grady School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Georgia. She completed her Master's degree in Nutrition Sciences, also at the University of Georgia. Suzy has been a successful health, fitness and nutrition writer for more than 10 years, and has been published in various print and online publications.